


Dance Note !

by PonyRunRun



Category: Death Note (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ballet, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/F, L does Capoeira, L has a room alone because he is a terror, Light does Ballet, Light wants to crush her, M/M, Misa and Light are roomate, Misa does Hip Hop, Somehow, Takada is at To Oh, This is ridiculous, Wammy's School Dance, everyone dances !, is it crack ?, no kira
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-12
Updated: 2020-09-22
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:41:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 13,692
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26425819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PonyRunRun/pseuds/PonyRunRun
Summary: Light aimed for the best of the best. To Oh's School Dance was the best of Japan. Yet, when Light takes the nationwide televised audition, he falls and twists his ankle. Relegated to a sub-par School of a near-by district, he decides to show everyone that he is still the best dancer of all Japan. That is without imagining that L, a famous dance prodigy, is at the same school as Light. Will they help each other toward victory or will their animosity tear them apart ?
Relationships: Amane Misa & Yagami Light, Amane Misa/Rem, L/Yagami Light
Comments: 36
Kudos: 31





	1. Chapter 1

_Deux, trois, et double cabriole arrière !_

Light turns on his heels, jumps, and as he descends, feels his muscles contracting alarmingly. A cramp takes in by surprise, much stronger than he's ever had, and as he tries to keep his face composed, he lands weirdly. The hot white pain shoots from his ankle and he falls ungracefully to the grounds, closing himself around his injured feet like a desperate animal.

There's a moment of stunned silence as the room holds its breathe. The music ends on it's pathetic _coda_ and Light whimpers. The noise from the commentators in the journalist box a couple of meters away is muffle by the pain Light can't quite pinpoint. _What's going on ? I have done many_ cabrioles _before, what the actual fuck ? Why now ?_

In all honesty, Light could cry of humiliation. He stays curled around his feet, unwiling to let the medics take a look at it :

« I'm fine » he snarles like a wounded animal, showing claws and teeth.

« Mr Yagami, we need to take a look at your leg. »

 _You need to clear the ground yeah. Let the pathetic one that fell go away so others can show him how it's done._ Une cabriole. _.. I can't believe it._

Light Yagami was first student in his gymnastic club. He was also first at school where he kept his grades at the highest score possible. And here he was, falling down on a cabriole.

He was livid when he lie down to let the medics escort him out of the room. He closed his eyes not to see the look on the public's face, no to hear the comments of the journalists doing their job. This was To-Oh Dance School's audition, televised nationwide, and the young espoir of the competition had just fallen down from an injury. The exam of a lifetime, ruined.

Light didn't open his eyes.

*

« I don't wanna see it. »

Light was lying down on his bed, his leg in a splint, face in the pillow.

« Light... open the door... » his mother tried again, the rustling of paper proving that she was opening the envelope.

« Don't ! Mom ! Throw it away ! »

Light got up, unable to let his mother look at the paper that would reject him. The letter had arrived two days ago and he'd refused to look at it. He'd been humiliated enough during the exam, and had to suffer his parents rewatching the tape to show him how good everything else was. Yet he fell. He winced, remembering seeing himself on the television as he took his _trois_ _pas_ before jumping that fatal jump that would derail everything.

He opened the door in a furry. His mother was there, so engrossed in the reading of the letter that she didn't even raise an eyebrow at Light's harsh tone.

« Give it now ! »he snapped, feeling the burn rise on his face as he made grabby hands at the paper.

« Light... » Sachiko Yagami's face was drained of all blood when she looked up. «You scored the highest at... »

Light's face fell as he took the letter to read how he was accepted at Wammy's School and would be asked to make the valedictorian speech.


	2. Chapter 2

« And as a new student, please, take care of me this year. » Light concluded his speech.

« Let's take care of you this year » the seniors answered together, their voices forming a strange invisible mass.

Light went down the stairs to sit back among the crowd, hide himself, and never be seen again. _They all saw me fall_ , he thought bitterly. Truth to be told, he couldn't get this idea awat from his mind throughout the whole speech. Everyone was looking at him to see his failure. And yet here he was.

_He must have bribed his way in._

Light closed his eyes shut and touched his right thumb with his left finger. He felt immediately better.

He tried to turn around when the assembly got up to leave the gymnasium. In this crowd, were his peers. People of his age that had arrived here throught shee sweat and luck. There were also his seniors, to whom he had to show respect. Most of all, he needed to win their trust, show him that his little slip up was nothing but that : a slip up, and that he was better than everyone else. Maybe show them he was better than them too, so he would have the right to train with them. Light didn't want to stay in his age class like stagnant water. He wanted to ascend, and to ascend fast.

He scanned the whole area that was emptying to find another eyes looking straight at him. The man was crouching on his way out and was staring at him, his head bent to one side like a curious bird. But his eyes were hard. Light furrowed his brows, making a step to walk toward the insolent, but a group of girls separated them and when they were gone, the man had disappeared.

*

“I should have taken a room with Rem.”

“No !” Light jumped on Misa, holding her arm as if to prevent her from leaving.

Misa Amane was Light's roomate for the new year, as he'd decided he didn't want a room within the school itself. She was bubbly and always in a pleasant mood, which was a contrast with Light's brooding demeanor.

“Well if you keep on complaining about this L or that jump, I'll personnally ask to change room.”

“No, no, no, please.” Light pleaded, promising he wouldn't talk about it anymore.

Despite their strange different nature, Light was strongly attached to Misa, just like she was strongly attached to him. They'd dated a bit in highschool because Misa had been desperate for affection after her parent's passing but Light had never reciprocated her feelings. When she felt better, they naturally split up.

When they went to bed that night, Light called Misa from the bunk bed under him.

“Misa !” he whispered loudly.

“What !” she whispered back.

“Do you think I'll surpass L ?”

“Why wouldn't you ?”

“Because of my ankle.”

“You told me your ankle was fine.”

Light looked down from the ceiling to his feet. His ankle was _finer._ He wouldn't tell anyone about it.

There was a moment of contented silence when Misa broke it again :

“Do you think Rem will accept to dance the duo class with me this year ?” and there was in her voice an apprehension Light didn't recognize in her.

“Of course...” he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

*

Light woke up like a jack in a box, almost hurting his head on the ceiling, which was pretty uncommon. Mornings were complicated things, as Light was not a morning person and Misa was an enthusiast morning person. She would start talking the moment the radio started jabbing and Light was not alive enough for that at 6:30am.

Mornings were also complicated things because Light was not awake enough to be conscious about what he was doing with his breakfast. It often resulted in the fridge door staying open on end, cups of tea cooling on the counter where he forgot that it was etc. This morning, he put a second tea bag in Misa's cup and she whailed like a child when she realized what he'd done.

“Light ! My cup has two tea bags and yours has none !”

Light looked down on his cup of hot water that he was sipping with no grand conviction and raised an eyebrow. Oops.

“My bad.” his voice cracked.

Misa was positively upset as she emptied the content of her cup in the sink.

“Are you thinking about your jump again ?”

“Hmmm.” Light replied, finishing his cup of warm water.

“Or maybe about L ?”

“Why would I think about him...” Light replied in between two mouthfull of oatmeal.

Misa shrugged and helped herself with the blueberries. The good thing about their cohabitation is that they had the same diet. As a ballet dancer, he had to stay lean and healthy, and Misa, as a part time idol and full time hip hop dancer, also had to stay lean and healthy (even thought the idol standards leaned more on the alarmingly undernourished than lean and healthy). No cake, no biscuits, no sugar could be found at their table or in the cupboard. Light's oatmeal was bland but for some fruits and Misa usually had the same. One day thought, Misa had bought mapple syrup for Sayu coming over and Light had one morning poured the content of the bottle on his tea bag as if it was water. He'd had the worst indigestion ever after that, not being used to sugary things.

*

They'd been roomates for the two months of summer, just to adjust and see if they got along on an every day basis, and today was the first day of school. Light was not that nervous. He was the best at what he was doing and he knew it. All he had to do was find L and confront him in a dance battle. Or something like that.

Since Misa was older than him, she already had her class assigned and left him at the gates, jumping in Rem's arms, too happy to see her friend again after two long months of separation.

“Yall have skyped.” Light complained, passing them to walk toward the doors.

“Light Yagami.” Rem greeted him with her deep voice.

Light bent his head a bit in aknowledgement. Maybe one day his relationship with Rem would be less complicated, but she'd already threatened to murder him when he'd made Misa cry one day and he wasn't sure she wasn't serious.

Light left them to blend in the crowd of new students looking for their class.

“Carry me.”

Light didn't react immediately because he didn't hear well and couldn't believe someone was talking to him that way.

He looked down when the voice reiterated it's inquiry and found a small albinos boy looking dead at him.

“What.” Light articulated, not quite a question.

“Carry me. I can't see the board.”

Light's brows furrowed. What the actual fuck was wrong with this child, and was he even allowed here ?

“What... class are you in, I'll tell you.” Light replied.

“No, I'd rather see for myself.”

That's how Light found himself carrying a whole child so he could see his class on the board. He heard people stiffling laughter and honestly, if he hadn't been the main character of the situation, he would have laughed too.

“Yoga... yoga... yoga... ah.” the boy muttered as Light was carrying him under his arm to lift him up like simba in the lion king “You can put me down.”

Light breathe through his nose and delicately put the boy down, decided it was too early to be angry at a child that wasn't even supposed to be here.

“Well, that was wild...” Misa commented with a laugh in her voice as she passed with Rem on tow. “See you at lunch babe !”

“See you..” he complained half heartedly before going toward his assigned class.

The morning was unneventful. His classmates were ininteresting to him. If only he'd been accepted at To-Oh Dance School, he would have freted with the best of the best. Here, he was in just a good Dance School. Not the best. And he deserved the best.

He ate at lunch with Misa, Rem and some of their friends that he got introduced to and worked the afternoon with them in their hip hop classroom. Light stretched his long legs and his feet, then practiced some adagio à la barre while the other girls were dancing to pop music. Light tried to learn a choreo with them but made them laugh more than everything. He was too much in ballet mode, with slow graceful movements rather than quick powerful ones. He gave up on this barbarian dance.

The school was open until 11pm, so Light used this extra time to practice in the ballet room at night, which was hopefully empty at this hour. He sent a text at Misa telling her he wouldn't be there for dinner and pushed open the door of the room, so concentrated he didn't here the tap tap of feet on the wooden floor. He stopped dead in his track when he saw the man from the other morning dancing in his room. Light was tempted to tell him that he probably was in the wrong room, considering he hadn't seen the man in his classes, but the way he was dancing stopped him mid track.

Light had always believed that ballet was the elite dance, the most graceful, the hardest to master. Thus, seeing the man dancing contemporary dance shouldn't have moved him. Yet here he was, stuck on the spot, watching enthralled as the brunette was twirling and kicking powerful blows in the air. There was a strength in his dance that Light didn't recognize in his, yet he could't take his eyes away. He didn't even realized he'd held his breath all this time, when the man suddenly collapsed, gasping for air, and all the oxygen pushed out of Light's lungs.


	3. Chapter 3

The loud thud of the body crashing against the floor woke him up and he rushed toward the man. Before he could be of any help, an old man Light had not seen, too engrossed in the dancing, walked fast toward the man and held him in his arms. Light stopped in his movement, wondering for a second if the old man was the other's father. He looked fatherly, at last.

“Is... is everything alright ?” Light asked concerned.

“Thank you young man, I have the situation under control” The old man smiled at him, his body shielding Light from seeing the man gasping on the floor. “Ryuzaki, can you hear me ?” he asked turning away from Light

Light left.

*

“You'll never believe what happened tonight- is that my face mask ?”

Misa starred guiltily at Light who'd just barged in through the door of their room. She was stretching her neck and sides on the bed, a face mask on, her nails freshly painted if Light was to believe the smell in the kitchen-living room.

“I'll buy you another one.” she promised, stretching away from him. “What did you wanna tell me ? I'm going to bed.”

“I found the guy from the other day who starred at me like a bastard” Light exclaimed, not taking Misa's statement as a cue to let her sleep.

He sat on her bed cross-legged, ignoring her look of disaprobation – he had not showered yet – and started telling her what had just happened.

“And he... fell down ?” Misa asked when he was done.

“Yeah ? The lad couldn't breathe ? That was mental.”

“And the butler arrived out of nowhere.” Misa said unconvinced.

“I didn't say it was a butler.”

“It was a butler.”

“Okay.”

Misa shrugged and took her mask off, going to the bathroom to wash her face clean then go back to bed.

“Move over, I can't get in. If you sleep with me you shower first.”

“I'm fine.” Light replied after considering the proposition.

He didn't dislike sharing a bed with Misa, because that's all that ever happened nowadays. He waved her goodnight and left for the bathroom to take his shower.

The next morning was his own warning.

“Light, that's my foot.”

Light lifted his foot.

“I thought it was the table.”

“Flat on the ground ?”

“Yes.”

Misa rolled her eyes and sipped her tea noisily just to bug him. Everything was fine.

Light crossed path with the albino boy that was dragging his feet toward the yoga room and did a forward roll to enter the class. This low-class school really was the thing, he thought as he walked toward his own room.

*

Light was changing sweat pants in the locker room after his last class when he heard the muffled sound of feet on the floor going toward his classroom. Ryuzaki ! Light followed the noise.

The man was indeed in the room, setting up a radio post and starting some music before stretching his arms and legs.

“Light can come if he wishes.” Ryuzaki said while still turning his back on Light, but their eyes connected on the mirrored-wall.

Light was struck that the man new his name, but composed his face in a charming one before entering the room :

“Goodnight, how do you know my name ?”

Ryuzaki crouched next to the radio post, raised his head and put on finger in his mouth in concentration. Light found it repulsive, and decided he had a hard time connecting this man to the one he'd seen dancing yesterday.

“Starring is rude Light-kun.”

Light frowned :

“Not answering a question is rude as well.”

“Well...” Ryuzaki thought for a minute, then looked sideway at Light “you gave the valedictorian speech.”

Light deflated like a balloon. He didn't know why, but he'd somehow expected something else. He just didn't know what.

“Mind if I use the barre ?” he decided to ask after a moment of stunned silence.

The man gesture toward it as a cue to do as he pleased and Light got closer to the barres. He started with easy adagios, slow movements to warm up. He did a split up sideways and elongated his body on his forward leg, stretching his back and his calves. All the while, the other one had started turning the volume obnoxiously loud and was twirling around like a spinning top.

“Could you turn the volume down ?”

Ryuzaki made the universal gesture for “what ?” as he didn't hear Light over the ruccus.

Light made the gesture for “turn the volume down”. Ryuzaki dropped his hand in the gesture for “drop it” and Light gesture for “turn the fucking volume down.” Finally, Light dragged himself across the floor, unwilling to break his split, all the while starring dead in Ryuzaki's eyes and pushed the stop button on the radio post. The matter took a painfully long minute since Light was still on the floor with his legs wide open.

“That is rude.” Ryuzaki deadpanned.

“That's not your classroom.” Light replied on the same tone.

“You've been here for two days.”

“At least I didn't spend my two days dancing in jeans.”

“At least I don't look like a pop idol.”

“At least my hair is not stiking around in all directions like a porcupine !”

“At least I didn't turned down very good music !”

“At least I didn't collapse on the ground doing a mere spin !”

The moment Light said it, he wanted to take his words back. Ryuzaki's face closed up like an oyster, and his expression looked as if the jab was nothing but boring. Still, he dragged his feet across the floor and the last thing Light knew, the door was closing behind Ryuzaki, leaving him alone in the room.

*

“Do you think I vexed him ?”

“Yes.”

The truthful answer vexed Light too, but Misa just shrugged.

“Imagine...” she twirled her hair in her fingers “that he'd pointed out your fall last spring.”

Light groaned. That's exactly what he'd thought about.

“He called me a pop idol !”

Misa raised an eyebrow and starred Light up then down before going back to her yogurt.

Light decided to go to bed early, skipping his nightly exercises.

*

“Watch out speed racer !”

Light was hurriedly walking towards the cafeteria, thinking about what kind of face mask he could make Misa buy for him when a rude blondie in a bob-cut passed him, almost bumping into him. Light was usually not one to do anything in a hurry. He was a genius with a lot of time to spare and didn't like being rushed. But this morning, he was hungry. He'd woken up more grumpy than ever and had not even finished his oatmeal.

Light extended a hand in good mannered apology, deciding that he would fight fire with something else than fire, even if he had to be the only student that wouldn't be rude.

He was mumbling to himself, looking for Misa's lot in the crowd (really he was looking for giant Rem but whatever) when someone else bumped into him.

Light breathe through his nose for what seemed like the hundredth time since back to school, but when he looked in front of him, he found Ryuzaki.

“Hello Yagami.”

« Your moodswings are giving me whiplash. Yagami ? You called me Light-kun yesterday. »

“I realized we weren't so familiar after all.”

Something inside of Light was vexed. It's not like he wanted to be familiar with Ryuzaki, but being told so was a bit frustrating. He was about to take this as a cue to leave the man alone and go _eat something_ when Ryuzaki caught him by the arm and starred at him dead in the eyes :

“Oh by the way” his monotone, deep voice started, “I am L.”

Light's world tilted. Him, L ? Not happening ! He needed Misa to vent _right now_. But after all, something in his dancing had caught his fancy. Could he be L ? the dance prodigy ? Wasn't he at To-Oh with Takada and all the other perfect little dancers of Japan ? Light straightened his t-shirt and put his hands in the pockets of his sweatpants :

“If you are who you claim to be, I have a deep respect for you.” he performed perfectly, sounding charming and kind.

Ryuzaki – L, on the other hand didn't event blink :

“No need to be so formal when you want to punch me in the face.”

Light was civilized but he would have stabbed him with a little fork.


	4. Chapter 4

“A little fork ? Are you not being super dramatic ?” Misa asked her mouth full of kale.

“As always.” Rem added in a mumble.

Light frowned at the tall girl and reported his attention to Misa.

“Oh !” she pointed her knife at Light “You should challenge him to a battle.”

She didn't blink at him and just put a huge piece of chicken in her mouth with more kale. The clouds opened in Light's sky and everything fell into place. Of course he would challenge Ryuzaki to a dance battle !

Dance battles were common in school and were often supervised by a teacher. The only hic was, Light didn't know where to find the man. He was not in the cafeteria as he seemed not to have eaten there and he didn't know what class he was following. Light tried his luck in the contemporary room and found bob-cut stretching there. If he hadn't spoken to Light previously that day, he would have believed the guy was a female student. His body was lean and his face looked feminine. His long blond hair were shy above his shoulders and he danced with grace. When he stopped, he just looked plain rude.

“What do you want ?” he asked getting up to take his water bottle.

“Are you in Ryuzaki's class ?”

“Rue Ryuzaki ? Not gonna find him here.”

“Try the CAP room on the second floor” another voice prompted behind him.

Light turned around to spot the albino boy entering the room and walking toward bob-cut.

“Hi Mello.”

“Near.” Mello just aknowledged.

“Let's stretch.” Near said and fell on the ground in a puddle of too large clothes.

His little hands were poking out of the big sleeves as he grasped the ground to give himself more leverage and started stretching on the ground, looking half asleep.

“All you do is stretch.” Mello complained.

“Yoga is about stretching and being calm.”

Near made a bridge then curled on the ground and said :

“Okay, enough for today.” and started sleeping.

Light turned away and hurried toward the second floor. There definitely was something wrong with this school.

“Ryuzaki !” he panted while arriving on the second floor. “Ryuzaki ! I challenge thou !”

There was a bit of noise in the corridor as a few heads poped in the opening doors but Light didn't stop for them. Finally, Ryuzaki appeared, his back hunched forward, his look piercing.

“Yagami.” he greeted when Light arrived at his level.

“I challenge you to a battle.”

“With swords ?”

“What ? No !”

Light could already imagine how ridiculous he would look in a fencing attire. Ryuzaki smiled his strange smile, the one that seemed too big for his face and made him look like a little frog.

“I accept your challenge.”

*

A couple of seniors were sitting on the sides of the mirrored room. They brought a movable barre for Light to stretch on and he didn't say anything when he saw Ryuzaki do the same on the back of a chair. They debated a moment over the music choice and utlimately a teacher decided on the record they woud play.

Light started on pointe and did a couple spins to impress the house. L was barefoot but he went on pointe twice before going back down on the floor and starting to do some acrobatic jumps. That's when Light realized why he'd been enthralled by L's dancing skills. He was not a ballet dancer like he'd thought, not even a contemporary one. He was a copeira dancer ! L kept on twirling around, kicking and lending blows to invisible ennemies, turning on his hands and girating like a bird. Light took all the grace there was in him to beat the pure strength L was deploying. He wouldn't let himself be beaten by someone dancing _capoeira_. But damn he was good.

The more they danced and the angrier Light got. L didn't seem to tire up, jolting up and down, following the beat of the music like he was born for that. But Light was the best dancer, he had to be, so he danced and danced, spinned, twirled, raised his leg elegantly and curved himself in every direction. They ended face to face at each side of the room and Light jumped to close the distance, starring straight at his ennemy. That's when his ankle started playing tricks. His face fell and L's expression changed mid jump, as if he'd realized Light was hurting. Light landed on the ground, saving his grace by doing a majestic split and raising his arms above his head as L jumped above him, kicking the air with his left bare foot.

*

“You're okay Yagami ?”

“I'm fine.” Light snapped.

They were both in the changing room as Light was taking off his tights to put his sweatpants on. L was taking off his yoga pants to put a baggy jeans before closing his locker then turned towards him :

“I know.”

“You kow what ?” Light snapped again.

That I have twisted my ankle ? That I fell ? That I _failed_ ? Ryuzaki's answer made Light's ugly retort die in his throat :

“I know that it hurts.”

Somehow, Light felt that Ryuzaki didn't talk so much about twisting his ankle but really about the whole feeling of humiliation. Light's brows unfurrowed. The man had fallen that first day too.

“Did you... twist your ankle ?” he asked, his voice quieter than he'd wanted it.

Ryuzaki shrugged

“Not exactly. But I know the feeling.”

As he talked, he got closer to Light who was feeling more and more vulnerable. He felt a bit like tearing up, somehow like that day on the floor of To-Oh's auditions, when the world looked at his failure.

“I thought you were supposed to be the best of the best.” Ryuzaki started again and Light sat on the bench, too stunned to reply. “Then stop being the rabbit Yagami. Yes you twisted your ankle six months ago. Yes you failed To-Oh's auditions. So what ?

Light starred at Ryuzaki, his mouth open. He was usually quite strong willed but deflated whenever his injury was brought up. It was his biggest weak spot as he _knew_ he had failed everything on a stupid mistake. The man sat on the floor in front of Light and put a warm hand on his knee but his eyes were cold and resolute.

“I think it's time you change your persona.” And with that, he got up and left.

*

Light got home, clopin clopant.

“What happened ?” Misa asked, concerned.

Rem was there, sitting in the couch cross legged and reading a magazine.

“Nothing, my ankle hurts a bit but-”

“I thought your ankle was fine !” Misa furrowed her brows, getting up.

“My ankle is fine. I just need a shower.”

And he disappeared in the bathroom. If Rem hadn't been here he would have gladdly let Misa cuddle him into talking but right now he had an image to preserve.

“Is tomorrow the day of the pairing exam ?” he asked through the door as he was done.

“ Yes why ? Your ankle hurts ?”

Light turned his ankle that seemed fine again.

“Nop, just to know if I use the face mask today or tomorrow.”

“Use it today to be fresh tomorrow.” Misa advised, passing her head by the door of the bathroom.

“What I had in mind.” Light replied, his towel around his hips, sorting the masks.

Misa gave him a wink.

*

“Aren't you excited for today ?” Light asked as they got to school the next morning.

The pairing exam would pair each students with another, regardless of years and majors, by making all the first year dance something. The senior's and junior's teachers would then pair them with one of their student. Misa was dying to be paired with Rem, and Light knew this year would be the one. They had a great composition together and had not been selected last year. They whould have it today.

“Who do you wish to be with ?” Misa asked then.

“Honestly, apart from you I don't know anyone. So I'd like to be paired with you !” he said and poked her on her side which made her squeal.

“Sorry babe, I really gotta be paired with Rem. It's her last year and there won't be another chance. You and I can rock next year.”

Light chuckled. That was no problem for him. Whoever he was paired with, he would have to take care of to make sure _he_ would be the one to shine. If possible he'd like to be paired with a senior.

La Wammy's being a boarding school, there were students younger than Light, still in highschool taking the special dance cursus. Talking about them, the albino and bob-cut were in front of Misa and Light, arguing about the best way to eat 20 dumplings under a minute.

Light decided to go to school like nothing was going to happen today and worked on his adagio after changing into his tights.

“To all the first years, please gather in the common room for your examination.”

He was glad to have warmed up, as some students arrived just now and wouldn't have the time to stretch. Light went almost dead last, being named Yagami, and performed to the perfection. Still, he was absolutely anxious and terrified of failing something on the scene. What if he fell ? What if his ankle hurt ? None of that happened, and when he finish his bow, he went to the antechamber on shaky legs.

“Didn't I tell you to stop being the rabbit ?”

Light turned around so fast he hurt his neck. The room was empty but for a shadow in the dark. The shadow got closer, revealing Ryuzaki in his baggy jeans.

“You're not dancing today ?” Light asked.

Ryuzaki made a so so gesture and shrugged.

“No need to. I won't take part in the pairing up.”

“Why ?”

“My name is not in the poll. I don't dance with y'all.”

Light furrowed his brows but before he could retort something nasty and contemptuous, Ryuzaki got closer and caught him by the shoulders.

“Why are you shaking ?” he asked ferociously, starring dead at Light.

Light opened his mouth but no sounds came out. His legs _were_ shaking.

“Are you thinking about your injury again ? Are you thinking of that fall again ?” Ryuzaki shook Light “Move on ! You're a killer. Stop being the rabbit. You're a killer you hear me ? You killed it on the floor just a minute ago so why are you shaking ?!”

There were so many things Light wanted to answer.

 _I don't know_ is all that escaped his mouth.

*

“Refreshing the page won't make it happen faster.” Light shieded Misa

“I need to know or I will DIE !”

“No you won't” Light chuckled.

“AH !”

Misa jumped on her chair and ran around the living room, doing dance moves and hoola-hooping around.

“I'm paired with Rem !” she squealed, delighted.

Light put the dish he was cleaning down and got closer, checking on the computer. He scrolled down from Amane to Yagami and his breath caught in his throat.

_Please not bob-cut, please not yoga boy._

He arrived at his name and his face fell. Oh no.


	5. Chapter 5

Ryuzaki was pacing in his room. He wouldn't have checked the results if Watari had not hinted at it. And here he was, in his dark room only litted by the computer, wondering how this could be. His name in the ballot box ? How ? His condition for being here was that he wouldn't take part in the annual event and would train on his own. He didn't undergo too long dance classes and only followed the anphitheaters in their entirety.

He dialed Watari.

*

“Who's that Rue Ryuzaki ?” Misa asked peering over Light's shoulder.

“Frog man.” Light replied between clenched teeth.

“Oooh ! Yes. Of course. Well is he not a good dancer ?” she mused.

 _He is,_ Light thought. _But he knows too much._

“He's extremely rude and is verbally abusing me every time we see each others.”

“You sure you're not being a drama qu-”

“No Misa I'm sure. Ah this bastard. He lied to me. Ah he must be delighted now. He'll have me at his mercy.”

Misa shrugged and went to the bathroom to retrieve some nail polish.

“Whatever ! Let's do our nails !”

Light was stretching, sitting on the ground and far from the computer, elongating his neck one way then the other. The idea of doing his nail was a pro, facing all the cons of the evening.

Light opted for his favorite transparent nail polish and Misa went for a deep crimson. They went to bed with their hands flat on the mattress not to mess their work.

*

Light was not in a hurry to exit his yoga class. Not that he was a big fan of yoga, yoga was okay, but after that, he had lunch, and then, the whole afternoon to spend with his partner on the script they'd been given. With the music of their choice. And the choregraphy of their choice. That was going to be a nightmare.

When he arrived in the room that they were assigned, a lot of other students already were, plus some curious non-dancer students from the boarding school. Light put his bag on the ground as he spotted Ryuzaki walking toward him.

“Let's leave this place.” He said without stopping, only going for the door, hunched over.

Light followed and soon they found himself outside in the bright september daylight.

“What are we doing ? We need to look at the script !” he yelled after Ryuzaki who stopped abruptly and turned toward him.

“Exactly. Let's go to your place.”

Light's face burned. What ?

“To look at the script. Let's go to your place. The school is crowded.” and with that he waited for Light to start walking in the right direction.

They went to Light's apartment.

“I just need to warn Misa first” he said taking his phone out, weirdly waiting for Ryuzaki to grab him and shake him again.

“Is she Yagami's girlfriend ?”

“What ? No, she's my roommate !”

“Good.”

“I beg your pardon ?”

“Nothing.”

They arrived at Light's flat under five minutes. He was a bit stressed to show where he lived to Ryuzaki for some odd reasons.

“Oh, my pointes have arrived.” Light remarked as he open his mail box, retrieving the shoe box carefully packed.

“Does Yagami often buy from this brand ?”

“Russian Pointe ? Yep, to me they are the best. I'll just need to sew the ribbons and crack them up a bit. Do you mind if I do that while we rehearse on the script ?”

“Not an issue. Do you mind if I snack ?”

“Uh... no, not really.”

Light was expecting for Ryuzaki to take out a protein barre, or maybe even a fruit. The man took out of his bag an entire patisserie cake with strawberries and toppings, and put it on the little table near the old tv.

“Uh... okay...” Light said, his pointe in his hand. “Isn't this going to be a lot ? Do you want me to cut you a piece and put the rest in the fridge ?”

“Au contraire” cried Ryuzaki “this is the perfect size.”

Okay... thought Light. “Do you need a spoon ?”

“No I'm fine” and Ryuzaki produced a spoon-fork from out of nowhere. “I'm good, we can start.”

Light was both terrified and attracted. He blushed just thinking about it. What the hell. This monster is gonna mugbank on an entire cake and I find it attractive ? No, no, no.

“So this script.”

“WorldWide Murder Case is our theme. I will play the detective L. You can play the murderer Kira.”

“Kira ?” Light frowned “where does that name come from ?”

“Kira, killer ? Get it ? Yes, I quite thought about it last night and came to the conclusion that it should be your stage name.”

“But... why ?”

“Remember ?”Light starred at Light without blinking for an ungodly long amount of time. “You're a killer.”

“I don't remember being a-”

“How many did you take down by being class first ? How many failed so you could succeed ? How many did you left behind in order to be the best ?”

Light thought of the friendships lost, of the recentment he could generate around him because of his capacities, of the jealousy. He thought of all the people who'd been around him for his good aura and good grades, and of all the people he'd been around for his own personnal ascension.

“From now on, I'm L, and you are Kira the killer. And I want you to think like the killer you are. Not like the rabbit you became.”

“I'm not a rabbit-”

“Yes you are. You let your injured ankle become the center of your universe and you can't perform like you used to not because it hurts but because you are afraid it might. Believe me, it's a pain to watch you dance, knowing the potential you have, and see everything ruined because you don't want to be more than the rabbit.

“What do you mean by that ?”

“I mean that...” Ryuzaki put a piece of cake in his mouth then looked at Light “I would have liked for you to be Kira.”

Light blushed furiously and concentrated on his pointes.

*

When Misa came home with Rem in tow, Light had finished sewing the ribbons and the elastics of his pointes and was on the verge of breaking them up, bending them and pressing them with his thumbs. Ryuzaki had left a bit before Misa came, as if he was a psychic or something of the kind, and had indeed finished his entire cake.

“Did you make any progress ?”

“Well there's no cake left” Light gestured toward the empty carton.

Misa stopped in her track, her mouth wide open. She loved cakes but never ate any :

“You had a cake and you didn't call me ? Light !”

But before she could stabb her little fists against his chest, he assured her Ryuzaki had finished it by himself:

“Even if I had wanted some, he didn't even ask me. He just ate, and talked.”

“Okay but, apart from that, did you make any progress ?”

“I don't know. His ideas are good, and all but I'm not sure we get along. I mean he's weird.”

Misa approved, despite not knowing the man, and sat next to Light to peer at the cake carton. Nothing was left inside as Ryuzaki had carefully finished the topping that had leaked on the sides.

“I hope he has indigestion.”

*

Ryuzaki did not have indigestion. Actually, the next morning, he was perfectly fine and dancing in the capoeira room where Light found him. Light liked him better when he danced than when he talked, but he couldn't decently say that. Just thinking that he liked the guy gave him the shivers.

“We need to find a place to rehearse.” Light said when Ryuzaki took a break.

He had yoga pants on that hung low on his hips, leaving his boxers exposed and Light found it especially rude. And unattractive. Very unattractive. Yes.

“I have class this morning but I know a place. We can go there this afternoon for our first practice.”

Light wanted to ask why they didn't go there yesterday but decided against it. He shrugged and left.

He considered feigning apoplexy to avoid having to train but decided against it too. He would just have to make sure Ryuzaki didn't put the radio at top volume or that he didn't eat an entire cake before rehearsal.

Everything was going to be fine.

*

“Follow me.”

Light was sweating from his last contemporary dance and wasn't feeling too much like dancing right away. He'd arrived late at his previous class because he couldn't tell where it was and was feeling slightly annoyed already. Ryuzaki had the radio post in hand and a box of patisserie in the other. Nothing could go well.

They climbed the stairs until they arrived under the rooftops, and the more they walked steps, the less people they found. It was tricky arriving there, as the plan was not showing any fifth floor, and yet here they found themselves. This floor was completely empty but for a gigantic dance room. Three walls were covered in mirrors and the last one had tiny windows that filtered the sunlight, illuminating the studio.

“This is... awesome...”

“And ours entirely. No one knows of this room.”

Light turned toward Ryuzaki :

“How ?”

“Have you seen how hard it is to get here ?”

True.

“How do we start ?”

Ryuzaki crouched on the ground in his favorite frog posture, holding the script in pinched fingers as if he was scared the paper would run away or jump on him.

They tried some duo dance first to get used to dancing together and nearly crashed into every walls. Ryuzaki's fingers were slippery because of frosting and butter, and Light's hands were slippery because of _sweat_. They walked on each other's feet, yanked elbows in sides, and Light nearly tripped Ryuzaki while he was doing a back flip.

All in all, it was a disaster.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fiction has a Pinterest board -> https://www.pinterest.fr/satorvska/dance-note/  
> Enjoy !

Light was furious. After that catastrophic day, Ryuzaki had all but disappeared. Vanished. The man was gone. Light had complained to Misa on end about it every day.

“I'm really going to change room with Rem.” she warned on friday. “It can't go on anymore, you ask for his number to the secretaryship and you stop pissing me off with this dude. You in love or what ? He cheated or what ? Move on Light.”

Light made himself small and scarce the rest of the night and even suggested to cut Misa's toe nails to make himself forgiven.

The next day was Saturday and Misa had promised one of her friend she would help her repaint her room. Light tagged along, unwilling to be left alone in the flat. That's how he ended up covered in white paint and dust. This apartment was an old one, all in wooden floor and nice decored ceilings. But it dearly needed a bit of vacuuming and some new paint.

Misa blabbed about Light's problem with his dance partner and the other girls sympathized with his situation.

“Honestly dude, just go with it, find Ryuzaki and confront him about it.”

“Yeah, it's not the first time he's disappeared like that from class.”

“The thing is, he's never been sorted out during the pairing exam. I heard he had a deal with the headmaster and doesn't need to follow the class like us.”

“What for ?” Light asked curiously.

“Have you seen the dude ? When he deign to dance, he can master any major, even if he's never showed himself long enough at classes. He's a dance prodigy, when I saw you dance the other day for the pairing exam, I thought about him.”

“What she means is that as long as he doesn't go to To-Oh, he can do pretty much whatever he wants with his schedule.”

“So why would he be paired up with _me_?” Light complained.

“Well, from what I understood, his guardian is on school ground and he played him a lil trick. Ryuzaki was furious in the class he shared with us the next day following the results.”

Really ? He had had the man at home and he hadn't seemed angry in any way. More aloof. And hungry.

“Anyway” Misa pointed out. “You need to go talk to him.”

“How ?” Light wondered, raising an eyebrow.

“He lives on campus. Go knock at his door and ask for an explaination. That's all you can do.”

*

Light, a paper in hand with the number of Ryuzaki's room, was climbing the stairs to said room, wondering what he would find. Maybe Ryuzaki was sick. Maybe he was in bed, with a terrible fever. Light felt a bit bad all of a sudden. He hadn't even taken the time to change, and his sweater was full of paint and dust. He arrived at the right floor and knocked at the door, stepping back to give L some room in case he was indeed sick.

There was a moment of silence, then the sound of a mattress and Light started sweating. Oh no, he thought. He was in bed, sleeping his fever away, and I'm making him get up, and what for ? A dance practice I can start rehearsing alone ? And a-

The door opened on Ryuzaki, his hair a mess of black strands, his eyebags darker than ever.

“Oh hey Yagami.”

Light had been expecting a terrible voice, but Ryuzaki, alltogether, seemed fine. Like he'd just been woken up from a nap.

“Are you... are you feeling alright ?” Light asked nonetheless for good measure.

Ryuzaki scratched his left foot on his right leg.

“Yeah, sure, why ?”

That's when Light felt the anger rising.

“Why ? You ask me why ?”

He made a step toward Ryuzaki and barged in the room, feeling himself getting more and more furious. So this bastard of a skinny bitch was alright ? And Light had been worried for him ? What the fuck. Ryuzaki closed the door behind Light and shifted from one foot to the other, visibly annoyed that Light had intruded his territory.

“You've been gone for a week ! A week !”

“I've had my reasons.” Ryuzaki replied with distrust.

“Oh yeah ?” Light took a look at the room, all disorganized and full of mind games of all kind “Like eating pastries and solving puzzles ? What is wrong with you ? How old are you ?”

Ryuzaki seemed to shut down completely. He had his eyes down and his hands were shaking slightly. He put one of his fingers in his mouth and sat in a crouch, rolling on himself like a ball.

“Leave.” he said between clenched teeth but Light was too angry to see the warning.

“So what ? You can keep your childish activities ? You can go back to skipping classes and playing games ? No Ryuzaki ! Ryuzaki ?”

Light had felt so angry and so powerful. Ryuzaki had look so small, rolled in a crouch, his head in his knees, that Light hadn't seen the first signs of the crisis. Light got closer to Ryuzaki, his brows furrowed, and gave him a shove on the shoulder :

“If you are acting on purpose again I swear I'll get really angry-”

But as he shoved the man, Ryuzaki fell on the ground and started hyperventilating.

_Oh. My god_ . Light thought. 

“Ryuzaki ! Ryuzaki can you hear me ?” Light asked in panic as he kneeled next to the man who struggled to breathe.

Ryuzaki curled on himself as he tried to get some air, his breathing making a weird whistling sound that Light didn't like at all.

“Ryuzaki, what should I do ?”

“Can't breathe...”

“Yes I see that !”

That's when something clicked in Light's mind as Ryuzaki was coughing like mental. Is he ? No, not a dancer of his level... But when he fell that first night he struggled to breathe too...

“Ryuzaki !” Light said in a hurried panic “Ryuzaki, do you have asthma ?”

Ryuzaki starred at him with a violent starre, both terrified and furious. So he did have asthma. And a bad one at that. What could have triggered this crisis ?

Light got up and ran to the window, opening the curtains and windows to let some fresh air in the stagnant room.

“Yagami... your shirt...”

Light starred down at his sweater. The paint and dust ! He took it off as fast as he could, throwing it out the window. He went back to Ryuzaki, swearing like a sailor, wondering what to do now that his tiddies were out and Ryuzaki still gasping but not for the right reason. Light looked around and spotted a thermos. Water ! He grabbed it, opened it and gave it to Ryuzaki who drank a little before coughing everything.

“Okay great no. I know ! Ryuzaki, don't move, I'll google it.”

Ryuzaki made a noise of exasperation but kept on coughing.

“Okay. Okay we are going to sit down and not panic okay Ryuzaki ? That's what's written. Not panic. So let's not panic and have a sit.”

It also said to make the person comfortable in their clothes but Ryuzaki wasn't wearing anything tight so he decided to let that as it was.

“Do you have medicines ?” Light asked as calmly as he could, holding his phone in one hand and putting his other on Ryuzaki's shoulder.

The man said yes with his head and he pointed a drawer at Light who just ran to it, opening it.

“Sacrebleu. Oh mon dieu. French toast.” Light was both terrified and annoyed at the amount of things that were in the drawer. He finally found the inhaler and came back to Ryuzaki who used it profusely.

After some times, the coughing receeded then stopped completely. Ryuzaki starred at Light, dumbfounded, then got up and got on the chair to sit in his crouch. His hands were still trembling but so were Light's.

*

“Do you feel better ?”

“Yes, thank you.”

Light didn't like how Ryuzaki's voice was distant. Like he wanted nothing to do with Light anymore. Light felt the fracture like in a bone, and he couldn't bear it. Also he was cold, but the panic gone, he'd realized he'd thrown his sweater out the window.

“Do you have a-” Light started, intending to ask for a shirt

“I have an autism, yes.” Ryuzaki replied, eyes carefully looking at the ground, a thumb in his mouth.”Puzzles and mind games are what grounds me when I have an episode. I'm sorry, as my partner I should have told you.”

Light felt terrible.

“What ? No, I'm the one who is sorry... I shouldn't have yelled at you and said those things about your hobbies... I didn't know and I want to apologize.”

Ryuzaki starred at him for a moment, his expression unreadable, then his features lightened up and a small smile cracked on his face. Light's heart missed a beat.

“No more secrets ?” Ryuzaki asked, extending his pinkie.

“No more secrets.”

And for the first time in his life, Light did a pinkie promise. He felt warm all over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> follow me on Tumblr to see my drawings of the story : poorly-drawn-everything


	7. Chapter 7

Light went home with one of Ryuzaki's t-shirt since he didn't find his own sweatshirt down the building. He'd always thought that the guy had one t-shirt and wasn't washing himself but his room had an adjacent door leading to a bathroom and Ryuzaki had given him some privacy when Light had changed into new clothes.

All in all, Light had spent the rest of the afternoon with him and had discovered a new side of the man. Not just the dance prodigy or ugly bastard, but a real person with a will and a lot of hobbies and knowledges. Truth be told, Light had always been bored with his peers. Misa was an exception, not so much by her intelligence (which she didn't lack of) but by her bubbly personnality of do-no-harm-take-no-shit. Ryuzaki was a revelation. He was smart, cunning, and full of wit. Light had enjoyed discussing things and stuffs with him, even though he didn't have a shirt on and Ryuzaki was crouching in such a way that Light could see his boxers (rude !).

“That's not a shirt of yours.” Misa pointed out the moment Light passed the door of their flat.

She had a crazy sense of fashion and she could tell every khaki slacks or grey sweatpants Light owned, and he owned a lot. He'd never worn jeans though, and thought ironically that if Ryuzaki had given him one of his baggy jeans, Misa would have had a heart attack.

“There was an accident with my sweatshirts. Ryuzaki had a-” he was about to say an asthma episode but stopped just before.

Because he shared all secrets with him didn't mean he could spill them so fast.

“Ah so you found him ? He was sick ? He barfed on your sweatshirt ? Gross.”

“Yes he was sick. But he feels better now, he should come back on Monday.”

“Great !” Misa was sincerely happy for him and started cooking dinner since it was her day.

“Need a hand ?” Light asked nonetheless.

“Nah I'm fine. Spinach and eggs for tonight.”

“And the carbs ?”

“A toast.”

That's prettily much how it went when Misa was cooking.

*

Light was pouring chia seeds in his oatmeal with a bit too much excitation. He couldn't wait to see Ryuzaki again. Their last encounter, even though had begun quite weirdly, ended up on a good note, and Light was desperate to see that it wasn't all just in his head. That Ryuzaki really had something, a little plus that no one else had.

He put his pointe on and walked with them all Sunday to annoy tiny Misa and to break them in. That's how on Monday morning, his feet hurt more than usual.

“Serves you well.” Misa mocked, gulping her glass of water avidly.

She took forever in the shower and got them late on their first day of the week. She was lucky to be able to run in sweatpants while he was stuck running in his pointe, not having the time to change at school.

“Yagami, you look quite dischevelled today.” Ryuzaki remarked as he was leaving the boarding building for the classes one.

“Not enough like a pop idol for you ?”

“Aoutch.”

“Now I look like you” Light retorted playfully.

“Enjoy looking great you merde.” Ryuzaki replied on the same tone.

Light laughed and soon after Ryuzaki followed.

There was something warm spreading in Light's chest.

*

Light climbed to the fifth floor with his bag and waited for Ryuzaki to arrive with the keys of the studio. He recoiffed himself in the reflection of the window and when he was done, the man arrived. He had a lolipop in his mouth and looked out of breathe.

“You okay ?”

“The fucking stairs.” he grumbled, then straightened his back a little bit and opened the door.

Light entered and tried not to stare at Ryuzaki's bum in his yoga pants. Those pants looked very nice. Very very nice.

“So” Ryuzaki took Light out of his reverie. “Do you have any music you'd like to put on the script ?”

Light felt like an idiot. Truth is, he hadn't thought at all about the music.

“Uh... Something orchestral for me and more upbeat for you ?”

“Yes, I thought so myself. But what...” Ryuzaki crouched on the ground, put his thumb in his mouth and started thinking fast.

Light tried to crouch next to him to see if his mind was going any faster but just ended up with a cramp on his left thigh.

“How do you sit like that for so long !” Light complained holding his leg.

Ryuzaki looked half apologetic then shrugged, getting up to walk toward the music station :

“It increases my mental abilities. If I don't sit like that I'm more likely to have an episode. What do you think of that ?” he asked pressing a button on the radio post.

The orchestral music started slow to rise into something terribly good. Chores chanted in the background and the beat of the music was enthralling.

“What is it ?” Light asked after Ryuzaki pressed the music on pause. “This is amazing.”

“It's a theme by Yoshihisa Hirano and Hideki Taniuchi that I extended the other night. I'm afraid I don't have any soundtrack for my own capoeira part. We can start working on yours though.”

Light was a bit stressed about having a ballet duo with Ryuzaki. What if it failed and they argued like last time ? What if his ankle started hurting ?

“Rabbit.” Ryuzaki warned despite turning his back on Light to put the music back at the start.

Light frowned but took his courage at arm's length and advenced toward the man.

“Okay, how do we do that ?” he asked once they were toe to toe, facing each other.

Light felt hot. Ryuzaki was about his size, but slander if it was possible. He had broader shoulders but a really skinny waist and narrowed hips. He raised his hand and put it on Light's shoulder, putting the other at his waist. Light tried not to burn.

“What are you waiting for ? Hold me.”

Light put his hands on Ryuzaki and as a waltz song started, they moved in synch. Ryuzaki looked quite focused, but Light couldn't hold a tiny smile as they twirled around the room, forgetting about the world around until Ryuzaki made him turn on himself then hold him in his arms.

Light pregressively let lose and started dancing like he was living it, turning around Ryuzaki, jumping, raising his legs up and down, even doing a couple of spins.

The music ended and Ryuzaki held him in his arms, halting to a full stop as they panted on each other, trying to catch their breath.

They locked eyes for a moment, breathing heavily, then the moment passed and Ryuzaki let go of Light's hand. Light's heart constricted a bit. Was he the only one feeling the tension surrounding them ? Was he the only one making scenarios in his head ?

“Are you okay Yagami ?”

Light snapped back to reality and met Ryuzaki's expectant stare.

_Call me Light._

“Yeah sure.”

He was far from fine.

*

Going out, he ran to his flat, hoping dearly to find Misa already there.

 _I'm at Rem's. Don't do anything silly. Love you. Xoxo Misa_ , was the note left on the kitchen counter top. Light's head made a muffle bang when he it it on said counter.

“What are you doing Light ?” Misa asked in horror when she came home an hour later.

“I'm reading a magazine.” He replied without looking up from the half naked women on the page.

“A porn magazine ?”

Misa plopped next to him and started turning the pages faster than Light intended. He whined and she let go of the paper:

“This is merly lingerie.” he precised.

“I told you not to do anything silly.”

Light looked at her dead in the eyes then said :

“I was left unsupervised.”

Misa rolled her eyes then got up.

“I need a shower.”

Light wrinkled his nose :

“You do.”

“Make some food you rat bastard.”

Light made some food. Misa went out of the shower sorting through her clothes :

“How did your practice go today ? You were awfully exited this morning.”

“If I tell you something, do you promise not to repeat it ?”

“Promise.”

“Not even to Rem.”

“I said promise, will you spill it ?”

Light took a deept breath then :

“I think I have a crush on Ryuzaki.”

Misa stared at him for a moment :

“You've known him for like... two weeks.”

“Yes that's why I said a _crush_ not a marriage proposal.” Light replied exasperated.

“Whatever” Misa said, making herself more comfortable in the couch. “Two days ago you called him frog man ? Are you into batrachians ?”

“I don't know what I'm into but at least I'm not into the girls of this magazine.”

“Sure, you look at it like an Ikea pamphlet.”

Light pinched the bridge of his nose but managed to tell Misa how their last rehearsal had went with only mild interruption on her part.

“Well, the lad doesn't seem that interested. Maybe he's not gay.” Misa pointed out

“Maybe he's not bi either.” Light added.

“Maybe he's asexual.”

Light made a face. A what ? He was lost in those complex terms.

“It's when you don't experience sexual attraction. You know, like frogs.” Misa explained

“Frogs have sexual attraction. They mate.”

“I don't want to know.”

On that shared reflexion, they went to bed. Misa was about to fall asleep when Light opened his big mouth again :

“Should I... tell him ?”

“I don't know” she groaned. “Did he do anything that could tell he has feelings for you ?”

 _Feelings for me ?_ Light wiggled in his bed at the thought. Until...

“Not really.”

“Then maybe don't.”

*

Ryuzaki was rocking back and forth on his chair, so precariously that he could fall at any given moment. He was biting his thumb instead of just sucking on it and had his eyes wide open : he couldn't sleep. He'd tried going to the ballet room to dance but everything seemed bland now that he'd danced with Yagami. The dude really was good. Ryuzaki got up and approached one of his ongoing puzzles, seeing if solving it would put his mind on something else. It did not.

He tried to turn on his desk chair, eat a pastry, dial Watari, then realized it was three am and hung up before the old man could pick up.

Did he have a crush on Yagami ? Pretty Yagami ? Dancer Yagami ? God-like Yagami ? _Maybe._ But the pal had the resting bitch face of a sereine mass murderer. Upside down on his bed, Ryuzaki decided that it might be smart to keep his feelings for himself. He was kinda ugly, kinda gauche when he wasn't dancing, and the man was a perfect score. He probably had a girlfriend. Probably that Amane from second year was his girlfriend after all.

Yeah, he would keep his feelings for himself.


	8. Chapter 8

Light swirled and landed straight in Ryuzaki's arms, who held him close to the ground then catapulted him in the air. Light twirled mid jump and landed gracefully on his right foot as the music finished.

He had a surprise for Ryuzaki and couldn't wait to show the man what he'd been up to during those last days. As always before giving a gift, Light second guessed everything and wondered if he shouldn't have just bought a croissant au chocolat for Ryuzaki to enjoy. At the moment, the black haired boy was hunched over, starring defiantly at Light, all in his posture showing that he was in his L role. Light gave back the same look of distrust, playing Kira to the perfection, and as they panted in the silence of the studio room, the next music started.

Light had taken on himself to make this song and had needed to ask for _help._ More than that, he'd needed help from bob-cut out of every person. For that, he'd had to follow a couple of steps that had went as following : he'd run around the boarding school to avoid Ryuzaki and find yoga boy. Near had told him where Mello was. Mello had requested (ordered) to have some chocolate delivered to his room before taking on any inquiries. At this point, Light had wondered if calling Misa for the girl to do the song wouldn't be easier, but decided against it. Misa was good at dancing but terrible at mixing songs. She made a horrible DJ. Light found chocolat for Mello and once this was done, he accepted to open the door of his room that he shared with a certain Matt.

Light had made his researches, and Matt was majoring in hip hop with Misa and minoring in computer engeenering. He made all the tapes for the hip hop and capoeira dance classes. From then, all Light had to do was submit the usb key to Matt and see if the goggle boy was enough into the song to make a remix of it.

_From this moment on, i'll show you the creation of a new world_

As the first notes of the song started, Ryuzaki lost his L persona and cocked his head to the side, looking at the post station. Light wanted to smile and say “yes, this is new isn't it ?” but kept quiet and observed the man. Ryuzaki was still in his crouching position, starring at nothing in particular, all senses focused on the music. His finger was beating the rhythm on the floor but apart from that he was perfectly still.

_I'll become the God of this new world !_

By the middle of the song, and feeling that the beat was going to be the same for the remaining of the mix, Ryuzaki got up slowly and started turning on himself, bending in half and raising his leg to kick the air forcefully. Kira crawled from where he was, then got up in a somersault, his arms above his head, confronting L directily. They both danced around each other, not breaking eye contact, L doing his capoeira wonder and Kira executing a contemporary dance to adapt to the more upbeat song. The music ended too soon, not being extended like what Ryuzaki had done for Light.

They panted a moment, not moving from their position, but Ryuzaki was the first to broke their stance :

“What is this song ?”

Light felt self conscious all of a sudden :

“It's a... It's Low of Solipsism... remixed as a hip hop song...”

“Hmmmm” Ryuzaki said as the put his finger to his mouth in a gesture that Light had learned to find endearing.

The man got up and walked closer to the radio post, checking the phone Light had plugged inside. The playlist was displaying their usual songs and this new one.

“Do you like it ? We can work on something else if it doesn't work out well-”

“No, it's perfect.” Ryuzaki interrupted, and when he turned his head toward Light, he gave him one of his so very rare smile.

*

It was raining dogs and cats. Light's ankle was hurting like a bitch. He was sitted at a table in one of the common classroom section. This section was specifically for classes that had nothing to do with dance. Light hated them with a burning passion. Yes he was first in all of them (ex aequo with a certain someone) but the idea of being stuck in a classroom when the ballet studio was waiting for him was a torture.

There weren't many dance students in his law class, and so he had no one to ask ice to, to put on his dying ankle. The weather was making his old injury hurt and there was nothing he could do about it.

“Hey, you ready for the test tomorrow ?” a voice behind him asked.

“What ? We have a test tomorrow ?” another voice replied and Light rolled his eyes so hard he amost went blind.

He repeated his mantra of “oh mon dieu, sacrebleu, french toast” three times in his head then looked back to peer at his comrades. When he turned back toward the white board, he considered putting his head face first on the table and knocking it a couple of time to see if he would pass out. He was, after all, dying to leave this class.

“Mr Yagami, are you okay ?” the teacher asked, concern lacing her voice when she saw her best student stabbing his head on the desk.

“I have a terrible headache. Can I go to the infirmary ?” Light pretented, honeyed-voice and kind smile on his face.

“Uh... sure... do you need help ?”

“No I'm fine” he said already out of the classroom.

Once the door closed behind him, he took a deep breath and started for the ballet studio before stopping himself. Dancing alone had become boring. He loved ballet, but a ballet at two had become his favorite. It was decided : he went in search of Ryuzaki. He tried the capoeira room on the second floor but was met with tired second years :

“We don't know where he is.”

“He was there in first period but he vanished afterward.”

Light thanked them and retreated to the shadow, far from the upbeat music of the contemporary and capoeira room. He was now worried. What if he had an episode ? What if he was in a coughing fit ? All alone in his room ? _Yes_... Light thought, _he must be in his room_.

Light turned on his heels and left for the boarding building. It was still raining as much as before and the thunder was illuminating the sky with its scarred bolts of lightning. Light tried to shiled himself with his hand but ended up drenched in no time. His grey sweatpants turned black stuck at his skin in a familiar yet uncomfortable way. Wearing tights was not the same as wearing wet clothes, Light decided.

He climbed the stairs, leaving wet patches of water in his wake, and arrived on the third floor that was Ryuzaki's. He knocked once, and when no one answered, he tried the door. It opened without resistance so he got in.

“Ryuzaki ?” Light tried, closing the door behind him.

The room was completely disorganized and in the dark. Light gulped once, but didn't find Ryuzaki anywhere. He tried the bathroom but it was empty too.

As he was about to leave, the thunder cracked again and a yelp escaped from under the bed. Surprised, Light screamed and almost fell on his ass. _What was this sound ? Surely a shinigami hiding under the bed, ready to devour my soul !_ Light thought with panic. He scrambled on all four and, bravery overtaking his heart, he got closer to the bed. He put his head on the floor and had another scream when a shadow moved under the mattress.

“Who's there !” he screamed, trembling.

“Stop screaming it's me.” deadpanned Ryuzaki's voice.

Light was so relieved he felt angry. What the hell was he doing ?

“What are you doing under there ?” he asked annoyed, getting up again and dusting his still wet pants.

“Under what ?”

“Ryuzaki.”

Ryuzaki didn't say anything but the lightning illuminated the room once again, casting strange shadows, and Ryuzaki had a hiccup. Something clicked in Light's head. He got on all four once again and tried to peer at the man.

“Ryuzaki... are you scarred of the thunder ?”

“Absolutely not.” quickly came the answer.

“Then what are you doing under the bed ?”

“It's comfy.”

Now that he was used to the darkness of the room, Light could see that Ryuzaki was rolled on a ball, his thumb in his mouth, starring intently at something past him. It definitely couldn't be comfy.

“You should try.” Ryuzaki taunted him from his ridiculous position.

“No thanks.” Light said, still crouching.

Finally, he lied down on his side and kept looking at the man who was now starring back. Another bolt of lightning and Ryuzaki tightened his grip on his legs.

“What's wrong with your clothes ?” he finally asked once the lightning had receeded.

“Got under the rain.”

“Want some change ?”

Light's heart did a weird thing. Wearing Ryuzaki's clothes ? Now that was interesting. He felt like he hadn't enjoyed it enough last time. He cocked his head to the side, showing he was listening, and Ryuzaki let a skinny hand appear from under the bed, pointing at the wardrobe. Light got up and followed the instructions.

Ryuzaki was starring intently at Light's movement. The boy was graceful...

“Comme un petit rat de l'opéra.” he murmured.

“Did you just called me a rat ?”

“That's how you say a ballerina in french.”

“You speak an awful lot of french.”

Ryuzaki shrugged and knocked his shoulder against the mattress. He cursed and rolled in a tighter ball, starring dagger at the mattress above his head.

Light had put on one of his baggy jeans that were hanging low on his hips. Ryuzaki was captivated by the lean body, nice proportions and the tiny band of a boxer escaping from his pants. _Light Yagami is wearing my clothes_ , he thought with a thrill.

Light put his wet clothes in a plastic bag and used the hairdryer to blowdry his hair. Despite all of that, Light woke up the next day with a terrible headache and a cold he was going to remember for years to come.


	9. Chapter 9

“You took a shower, you come back with different clothes, your own are in a bag... hm.... someone's been naughty !” Misa exclaimed when Light got back home.

“It's not what you think” Light replied, tottering.

It was way past his bed time when he got to the flat but he'd waited with Ryuzaki for the storm to receed, both for his profit and to make sure Ryuzaki wouldn't be scared on his own. He'd managed to get the man from under the bed and make him sit on top of it instead, chewing on a candy bar.

Misa frowned when she took in Light's stance.

“Your face is very red Light-o. You sure you okay ?” she asked getting closer, her harem pants unfolding around her hips with ever move.

She put her hand on his forehead and screamed at how warm he was. Light's eyes were glassy and he just felt like going to sleep.

“I'm really tired Misa. I'm going to bed okay ? Will feel better tomorrow.”

“You sure ?”

“Of course.”

Misa didn't held him back any further, just helping him climb the ladder to his bed by pushing on his ass with her two hands. Light fell asleep like a rock.

He woke up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat. He had weird hallucinations about Pet Shop toys taking over campus and ruining the ballet studio, then he had hot flashes through his entire body and finally, he called Misa for help :

“Misa... Misa !”

Misa stirred underneath but woke up, half grumpy :

“I was dreaming... about Rem.”

“Misa... I need water...”

“Then go get some.”

There was a silence in which Light's whistling breathing alerted Misa and she got up like a jack in a box, her hair a mess around her head.

“Oh my god Light ?”

“water...”

she ran to the kitchen and climbed the ladder, settling next to him to take his temperature. She let him drink before putting the thermometer in his mouth. She put a hand on his forehead and left to retrieve a cold towel that she put on him.

“Damn Light... playing naughty half naked in this season isn't the best idea in the world.”

“I wasn't-”

“shhhhhh. Damn I'm no genius, what should I do ? What would Ryuzaki do ?”

Probably say something along the line of “serves you well for playing miss t-shirt mouillé”. Light was not ready to have this conversation. He was still haunted by Pet Shops, their big head and tiny body obscuring his vision.

Light's eyes rolled in his head and he fell asleep soon after.

*

“Light Yagami is a big boy, he can take care of himself.”

Light opened an eye, recognizing Rem's deep voice. He tried to turn his head to see the time on his clock but it hurt too much. It probably was the morning before going to school. He hadn't even heard Misa's alarm go off. He probably was really sick. He groaned like a dying whale and turned on his bed. Misa arrived in the room, climbed the ladder and her head popped at Light's level.

“Light-o, I'm going to school with Rem. Stay put and I'll come back for lunch to check on you, oki ?”

Light wanted to protest, for her to stay with him in these trying times, but she kissed him goodbye and hopped down, leaving the flat with Rem in tow.

Rem wanted him dead, he was sure of it.

*

Light had climbed down the bed and installed himself in Misa's. Being on the bottom bunk was leaving him an easy access to the glass of water she'd left him, and the bathroom if he needed it. He tried to wait for lunch awake, even thought at first that he could do some stretching in the bed, but really, he felt like dying. He felt as if someone had shot him multiple times and he'd fell in a puddle of oil in a dirty warehouse. He frowned. What the fuck was he thinking again ? He fell asleep.

He woke up in a sea of sweat. He was cold all over but he was sweating like crazy. When he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was another pair of eyes. His heart skipped a beat and if he'd had any strength, he would have screamed.

“Oh you're awake ?”

Ryuzaki was an inch away from Light's face, starring at him curiously. Light held his breath intently : he'd not taken the time to brush his teeth yesterday night, too exhausted to do anything but fall asleep.

“What- Where is Misa ?” he asked suspiciously, trying to peer above Ryuzaki's shoulder.

“You, stay put” Ryuzaki replied, putting his hands on Light's shoulder to get him back to sleep.

He then sat back on his crouch and sorted something from his back pocket. It was the key of the flat, with a little voodoo doll attached to it :

“Amane gave me the key” he said with a strange creepy smile. “I'll take care of you this afternoon Yagami.”

Light wondered if it was the moment to ask him to call him Light, but he was crusty, not showered, sick to death and ready to give his last breath, so he refrained.

“First, you need to eat” he said and hopped down the chair he was precariously sitting on, disappearing in the living room.

He came back a moment later with a bowl and a spoon.

“Ryuzaki... This soup is cold.” Light remarked when he took the bowl in his shaky hands.

Ryuzaki cocked his head to one side and looked at the soup suspiciously, as if he could make it warm up on the spot.

“Maybe... put it in the microwave ?”

“Of course !” the man replied evidently.

He took back the bowl, almost spilled its content on Light and vanished out of the room. Light heard him look for the microwave before thinking of going to the kitchen. Then he heard a succession of bip noise as Ryuzaki probably was pushing on every button to make the thing work. Light considered getting up to help the man but it was somehow funny to hear him grumble in french about it :

“Stupide machine... tu vas te mettre en marche oui ou il faut que je te désosse ?”

“Did you threaten my microwave to destroy it ?” Light screamed to the man.

“Merely see what's inside its guts, Yagami. Have no fear I'll put it back on.” came the reply.

“And where is my soup ?”

“Oh yes the soup !”

there was a moment of scrambling then Light decided it was it. He was hungry and he would push the only button that needed to be pushed. He got up, helping himself on the wall, took the cold dish from Ryuzaki's frustrated hands and popped it in the microwave. He closed it and pushed the _on_ button, watching as the light turned on the the bowl started rotating.

“You must be minoring in mecanic engineering.” Ryuzaki remarked.

“No, I'm minoring in Law.”

“Oh, me too.”

“I've never seen you there” Light accused.

“Well, the class is boring for people like you and I.”

Light was too sick to try to comprehend what was going on, so he went back to sleep, realizing he was in his embarassing pajamas.

Going back to bed never felt so good. He starred at his pointe shoes attached to the wall and waited for Ryuzaki to come back with the soup. Ryuzaki indeed came back, empty handed. Light was ready to implode :

“Where is my soup ?” he demanded.

“The microwave had _beeped_.”

“Then _retrieve the soup_.”

Ryuzaki left. He came back with the soup. Light felt like he could pass out from relief.

*

Misa Amane was nothing if not consistent. She went to the same reading book club since she was 12 despite the fact that she was reading faster than all the members there. She liked to go to the same hair salon since she was 15 despite it being almost closed for use of non-ethical products. She liked wine, strawberry sundaes and pretty girls. She had none.

Rem was not what anyone would have called a pretty girl. She had harsh features, she was taller than most men and looked venomous at best. But Misa loved Rem.

They'd been introduced first in highschool when Rem's best friend Gelus had fallen in love with Misa. Gelus was a kind, shy, tiny boy who'd looked on the verge to collapse when he'd given her his love letter. The whole ordeal had been, alltogether, quite embarrassing.

But Misa had flashed on the tall girl next to him. They'd all become friend until Gelus caught a disease that forced him to quite highschool. Misa never heard of him again.

Today, she was decided. She would tell Rem how she was feeling and she would take her chance.


End file.
